This is What I've Become
by Feather and Green Ink
Summary: What if there had been another egg nobody knew about until it was found by a young boy fleeing for his life. This is his and his dragons story.
1. Prologue

The Ground was still frozen this early in the year. A small boy wondered across the field picking up stones as he went. In only a few weeks it would be time to till the ground and start planting again. As he walked on there was a clanking from behind him. In the distance he could see a large group of the empire's soldiers march into formation around the house. The boy ducked down below the weeds in the field and stayed as silent as he could. Three soldiers went into the house.

It was early in the morning and his family was all inside. The soldiers marched out a minute later dragging his parents and older brother and sister. The boy could only watch with his mother and sister as his father was beheaded and brother branded around his wrists. His sister was ripped from his mothers arms an passed between the soldiers like a piece of meat. His hugely pregnant mother with her unborn child were also slaughtered. After his sister and brother were hulled away the soldiers ransacked the small farm house and burned it to the ground. The boy managed to save only his brothers hunting bow and arrows and ran off into the woods away from his life on the farm.


	2. What I Fight For

_This is what I've become_, he thought to himself sadly as he strode thru the decimated field. His muscles protested has he walked looking for any that remain living. True enemies were quickly beheaded, soldiers from his own army he would yell for aid unless they were beyond hope in which case he would take mercy on them. He bemoaned every loss of life, necessary or not.

As he went he found a group of enemy soldiers that had laid down their arms in surrender and pulled off wrist guards to reveal brands. Only those forced to fight against their will received such brands. He always looked for them as a way to save innocent lives. The soldiers bowed before him, even armed and trained the seven would have been no match for him. They begged for their lives and he happily granted them the option to flee or to join their cause for peace. All seven agreed to fight and he healed them of their brands.

He never used magic unless it was absolutely necessary. So far, that had only been to heal others. Magic was the curse that got him into this mess, as a result he used it as little as possible. He extended his consciousness out across the battlefield and continued his search. There were only three among his group that were blessed with this ability and they had chosen him, a poor farm boy, to lead. He was a genius, they said, but he felt as clueless today as he had the day he'd arrived, a boy barely older than a child wearing only rags and carrying a barely usable bow and two arrows.

_Jorium_ he heard in the back of his mind. Immediately he closed his mind to the world. It was a great risk for him to open up at all but he couldn't stand to not help with the search when he was so much better at it and it meant so much to him. Opening himself just enough to hear if the other had something else to say he responded carefully.

_Yes?_

_ Jorium we need you to return now. _He recognized the voice of Modic, his fellow.

_I am not done with my search yet Modic. Why do you and Derhk not aid me? We would be done faster. _

_ We have already covered the rest of the field and you are going over an area I already looked, it is done. _

_ I am returning, how far has the army moved ahead?_

_ We are almost two miles from you now. _

_ Tell Derhk I returning, you could have sent Eridor, but I will call for him now. _

He broke the connection as gently as he could. Everybody's minds were sore from the battle. Slowly he reached out again for his dragon. Eridor's great body swept across the sky towards him. This was the reason he had been chosen to lead. That Eridor had hatched for him was one of the most blessed moments of his life. The great dragons egg had been lost in the fall. Not even the old stories told of there being a fourth egg. At this very moment he knew that the Varden were using his conquest as a distraction to steal the other eggs.

Eridor flew with him to catch the army low to the ground. It pained the great dragon that he could not fight but it was of the utmost importance that he remain a secret. Modic and Derhk searched the minds of the army weeding out spies to ensure Eridors's safety. As the army marched on they soared ahead to scout for the next battle.

Jorium heart sank as he saw a force nearly three times the size of the one they had just faced marching their way. They turned back before they could be spotted, to inform Modic and Derhk of the situation. They were too close to avoid and he feared that this would be the end of their campaign. They had been nearly overrun with the last force and had suffered a great loss in numbers. He worried for is men but they knew when they set out that this was their most likely outcome. He could only hope that the Varden would manage to secure the only remaining three eggs.

_Derhk, Modic_ he called out to both at the same time, _prepare for battle I fear we have reached the end. Call out to men and ready them for the fight but tell them that if they choose to lay down their arms I will not blame them. _

After agreement, they both broadcasted their thoughts to the army that lay behind them, as Jorium listened to the minds around them he heard not a single man succumb to the fear of death. Eridor landed at the head of the troops where Jorium dismounted. He thanked his restless dragon and calmed him with a promise to survive. Both knew that if Joruim fell, Eridor would also perish from the grief of loosing his rider, and life partner. Eridor gently nudged Jorium with his snout then flew off enveloping Jorium with his mind for what could the last time.

Jorium took his place beside Modic and Derhk as they continued to march. He quietly tightened the glove on his right hand to hid the bright spot on his palm that marked him as a rider. With one last messages of courage to his men he focused the barriers of his mind and cut all connections except the one attaching him to Eridor as they met the empire's army.

After what seemed like days of fighting he could see the toll taken on his people. They were spread thin from the start and now the few that remained stood back to back in a circle that was fully surrounded. Jorium carefully searched for any remaining spell casters opposing them. Finding none he reached for Modic and Derhk. They welcomed him in their tiredness, but fought on.

_Jorium, we cannot prevail, save yourself and more importantly Eridor. Go on. _And while he knew they were right, his guilt at leaving his men to die was extreme. He called to Eridor who was waiting just out of sight and shoved his way through the wall of opposing soldiers. He created a path that immediately closed behind him. _There are far more of them then I expected. _As he cleared the edge of the group he made sure that nobody saw him running at full speed away from the battle field. Once he reached Eridor he jumped onto his back and held on while the dragon bounded away on foot to escape being seen. Once far enough away he waited to see that his rider was safely strappd into his saddle then took to the sky, flying so high that at a glance people would think him a bird. Jorium looked down at the battle. Even from so high away he could see the remainder of his force being crushed. He mourned their loss and looked away as the only other beings that knew of Eridor's existence were killed by the empire.

* * *

"My Lord," a servant bowed before his king. "The resistance has been crushed, but a thief has broken into the castle and stolen one of the large stones." The King looked up angrily and demanded to know which one. Upon hearing the knowledge that the blue egg was gone, he mercilessly killed the messenger in his rage and started to plot his revenge.

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**So here is the first chapter, I have yet to pick a color for Eridor so if you have any suggestions other than the five in the book. Also does anybody know if Brom was still the leader of the Varden when Saphira's egg was stolen or if it was already Ajihad?**

**x Graziella**


	3. Brom

**i still have yet to chose a color for Eridor. The next chapter probably wont be for a little while because i have finals but i will try to get it up asap.**

**Diclaimer (i forgot the last two chapters): i dont own anything except Eridor and Jorium.

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They flew through the air, Dragon and rider together, fleeing form everything they knew. Eridor soared through the sky, so high above the clouds that Joruim need to wrap himself I all the cloths he owned to stay warm. As always when they flew like this Jorium's thoughts turned to his lost family. He knew that his parents were dead but he wondered if some how his bother and sister had survived. Even at that young age both he and his sister had realized that they had special abilities unlike everybody else. The older girl and little boy used to wonder together in the fields just talking in their minds or sensing the world around them.

Jorium thought back wistfully to a time when that was all he could do. As much as he missed his family, and felt guilty for their deaths, he would never trade his life then for the one he had with Eridor. As always, the dragon sensed when his thoughts turned negative and sent sympathy and comfort to him across the bond. Jorium had no knowledge of his bother and sister, but he had little hope that they survived the ten years since he had seen them.

_Little one, why must you always depress yourself with thoughts of them. Some day you will find the truth of what has happened to them. For now let is mourn the ones just lost and focus on finding if that loss was in vain. _

_ You are right as always Eridor. _

_ Of course I am, dragons are always right._

_ I just can't help the feeling that I could have saved them if I were there. Yet, I know that if I had been I would have been taken with my brother and never found your egg. I can never be sorry for finding you my dragon. _

_ Shall we land soon? We have yet to learn where we are going and I loath the thought of wasting my strength going in the wrong direction. _

Eridor landed in a clearing on the top of a high plateau less than ten minutes later. The dragon left to hunt without fear of being spotted for they were many leagues from civilization. While he was gone Jorium sryed the only other person he trusted with Eridor's existence. The leader of the Varden was not with the group trying to capture the eggs as expected. He was alone silently following a second man with an egg. Even as he watched Brom caught the man but was forced to killed him as he continued attacking Brom long after he was bested. Jorium recognized the landscape in the background as very close to where Eridor's egg was found. In the dim light he could not see the color of the egg in Brom's hands. From what he could see, Brom did not turn back the way he came but seemed to turn a northward direction. Jorium let the spell go and resolved to let his dragon decide whether or not to start now or wait until morning.

He gathered firewood muttering the true name of different typed of wood to find dry branches in the dark. Once the fire was lit by Jorium muttering _Brisingr_ to pile of kindling, he slowly fed the flames to allow them it to grow hotter as he waited for his dragon to return. He pulled from a pouch in his tunic a small amount of edible plants and a wrapped rabbit he had caught. After skinning the rabbit he wrapped it in the leaves of the plants and tied pieces of twine around it in several places to keep it all together. Once the meat was placed in the fire in a small rock hollow he had made into the structure of the fire, he sat back and pulled out his bow. Jorium inspected each arrow to make sure none of them had become warped in his bag. After that, he checked his bow and found that the sting was beginning to fray where he notched the arrows. Jorium preferred gut string to the normal twine, while it wore out faster, it allowed him to shoot with a greater range. He had thankfully remembered to save the gut of the rabbit now cooking in the fire. The rabbit would do until he found a fox or wolf to string his bow with.

_Eridor?_ He called opening his mind to see if the dragon was returning to him yet.

_Yes little one?_

_ I just wanted to see how long you would be gone yet._

_ I should be there soon little one, about ten minutes._

_ I found Brom, he's headed north across the Hadarac desert when do you want to follow him. _

_ I need no rest now but you need to sleep Jorium. You know how humans can only go a few hours without sleep._

_ I will sleep while you fly. _

_ Never the less, we shall depart in the morning. _The dragon broke the connection leaving Jorium feeling very alone on the top of the plateau.

Jorium woke the next morning when Eridor lifted the wing he was sleeping under. The rising sun shined directly into his eyes. _Little one, wake up, we need to leave soon if we are going to catch Brom before he enters Du Weldenvarden. _

_ Must I really, you know how I despise early mornings. _Even his mental voice sounded groggy as the last two sleepless nights caught up with him. With a groan Jorium raised himself enough to stumble over to the water hole he had created. After srying Brom he washed his face before hulling himself back over to Eridor. _Alright I'm ready, lets go._ As Jorium made a move to climb up Eridor's leg, the dragon shook him off with a short.

_Jorium, I had forgotten how bad you truly were in the mornings. Do you not want to bring any of the supplies? Or erase our camp site?_ The dragon accompanied this with a couple rings of smoke as he continued to laugh at his rider.

_Hmph. _At a different time he might have enjoyed laughing at someone else acting as he was, but at that moment the humor escaped him. He quickly set to work doing as Eridor advised. _Ok, now I am really ready._

_

* * *

_

It was lucky that Eridor had woken Jorium when he did because they would not have found Brom before night if they had departed a moment later. As the final rays of light reached over the horizon they spotted him as the rays glanced off his disguising spell. Jorium reached out slowly toward Brom as they circled above him. Even though his mental reach was supposed to appear friendly, as soon as it touched Brom's mind the other man grabbed it and immediately took hold of Jorium. Jorium was bound to the point that he could not even identify himself; only the interference of his dragon saved him from being thrown to the ground as Brom forced him to lie down.

_Brom, it is only Jorium and I. Release my rider._ As soon as Eridor spoke to Brom he was free. Jorium's good will towards the man was lessened somewhat as Eriodor spiraled down to land.

"I apologize Jorium. I have need to be extra careful until I reach the safety of the forest." At the same time, he reached into his pack for something.

_Did you succeed?_

"I'm afraid that it was not as much as we had hoped. While we breached the castle walls, it as very difficult to locate the eggs within the huge complex. In the end we only found one and the team who found it was neither mine nor Jeod's. They were supposed to contact us if they found a sign, not take it alone. The man that found it slipped from his group with the egg. It was by sheer luck that I managed to see him sneaking away. Jeod's group was under attack and I sent mine to help them as I followed the thief. He made it out of the city and a good many miles away before I caught him."

"We saw what happened then. Is the egg safe."

"Yes I have it here. I don't know if any others were located or even if the rest of the searchers survived." He handed the egg to Jorium. The dragon touched the egg with his snout and rumbled softly. The fire light was enough that the egg shined back a bright blue.

"Well of all the three you could have found, you managed the most important. The last female will be a free dragon." Eridor hummed in approval.


	4. Family Found

Arya pushed her horse through the forest as fast has he would run. Glenwing and Faolin flanked her on either side both keeping an eye over their shoulders as Arya charged on. Their mad charge had started miles before when one of the wards protecting them was tripped. It had continued as the pressure on the ward continued to grow. Arya Wished to dismounts and run but she knew that ever at this tired pace, she would be slower that her stead. All three of the fleeing elves could feel the searching presence trying to gain access to their minds. Their charge was halted as a barrage of arrows flew at them only to be stopped in mid flight by their wards. Arrows continues to fly as they turned in the opposite direction, away from the safety of their destination. As their wards were being depleted every moment an arrow broke though and landed in the back of Glenwing.

Faolin attempted to strengthen the depleted wards but was struck by a second arrow before he could finish. Arya, who could only spare a glance at the sight of Glenwing falling cried out as Faolin toppled sideways off his horse. She continued but that moment of a loss in speed cost her the little chance she had for escape. Reaching inside the small pouch across her chest, she pulled out the blue egg as she reached for magic. The shade appeared in front of her hissing in rage as she passed out from the effort as the egg disappeared.

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Jorium let the spell drop as he sat back on his hunches. _It's gone, _he thought_, the last hope of defeating the empire, gone._ Jorium had no way for finding the egg except trying to scry it. He leaned back against the foreleg of the gigantic Eridor. The great dragon continued to sleep as he was used to Jorium spending all his time gazing into the scrying pool. He only had to shift his attention to the dragon's consciousness that was attached to his for Eridor to wake. He replayed what he had just seen to Eridor. The dragon roared in displeasure and insisted on him going back thru was has just happened to see if he could gain some sort of clues as to were Arya would send the egg.

Though Jorium had met the elf only once, he knew of her true heart and desire to see the empire fall. From the brief touch he had of her mind he knew of her great intelligence. Jorium doubted that even in that situation she would have lacked the presence of mind to send the egg to someone trustworthy. As far as Jorium knew, there was only one to whom the egg would be sent. He suspicions were confirmed when he looked back and heard Arya's hushed whisper of the same persons name.

He once again tried to scry the elf and only saw a brief glance of her bound and unconscious laid the back of an unknown horse. He quickly dropped the spell as whom ever blocked the connection tried to trace it. Jorium hoped that Arya managed to get the egg all the way there before she passed out. He pulled out the mirror he used to communicate with people and muttered the words to show him the inside of Brom's house. The man was sleeping, snoring so loudly that Jorium was sure that it kept the entire village awake. How ever he just need to say his name once before Brom was standing with a knife in his hand.

"Brom, its Jorium, that knife wont do you much good against a mirror."

As he turned to look at the mirror hanging from the wall, Jorium noted that his age was beginning to catch up with him. Without his dragon, the old rider actually looked like he had gained the near twenty years since they had last spoken. "Jorium, what gives the honor of this visit. Though I would have hoped that you would come in person just to catch up."

"Sadly, I have a more dire situation at hand. Did you receive the egg Arya sent your way?"

"What's this now? What's happened to Arya and the egg?"

Jorium retold the story with much detail as possible. As he finished, Brom began to look around his house in great detail.

"I did not receive anything by magic nor feel any nearby this evening. Did you commit everything to memory as I taught you?"

"Of course I commit all my scryings that way."

"Good go back and then tell me the exact words that she used for the name of the person."

Jorium focused on the memory and drawing on Eridor advanced senses, played the memory back and forth in his head until he was sure he had it right. "She said 'Bringer of the Peace.' It made me think of you, though in the form of a young boy that closely resembles you."

"Jorium, I am not the bringer of peace, that is not me. I am the bringer of the light. The words for light and peace in that context are nearly identical in the ancient language. You say that the boy looked like me?"

"I would say that the boy was you, he was in the forest with a bow the way I say him."

"You were seeing my son, remember I grew up in Kuasta and there are no forests to hunt in there. Eragon is out on a hunting trip right now."

"I didn't know you had a son Brom, how many know?"

"Nobody except I and now you, the boy himself doesn't even know. Jorium, do you still have the feel of the egg when I met you on my way to deliver it?"

"I may, but that was twenty years ago and I was not nearly as good at saving memories as I am now. You want me to scry the egg," Jorium knew what Brom was asking him but he knew it would be hard. "I'm going to drop this spell and focus on that, I will contact you after." Jorium felt the spell drop away and took a deep breath to regain at least a little of his energy. _Eridor, what do you remember of the feel of the egg? You contacted it much more closely than I. _His dragon sent him the feel of the sapphire hatchling hidden in its shell. As it matched what Jorium remembered he used that to cast he spell.

The boy in the forest was holding the egg in his hand staring at it intently. Jorium could see a doe on the ground behind him and watched as the boy carefully placed the egg in his pack and continued on his way. The background around the boy was fuzzy and in some places didn't seem to exist. _It must be an area we have only flown over._ The dragon commented as he watched through Jorium's eyes.

"Brom," Jorium called his attention back to the mirror, "He has it, Eragon. He also has a deer with him, so he should return soon. You will watch him right?"

"I always have. I will recover the egg as soon as possible."

Something occurred to Jorium as he was about to again drop the spell. "Brom how was I able to see Eragon? I have never seen him in my own eyes."

"But you have felt his mind before. Do you remember when the Black Hand fled from Morzan, Just before she died."

"You contacted me and asked me to find her but wouldn't say why. I felt the unborn child she was carrying. Brom, are you telling me that you had a child with the Black Hand? She was rumored to be his wife." Everything sounded crazy in Joriums ears.

Brom told the story of how after delivering the egg he traveled to Morzan's castle to be a gardener, in order to discover the identity of the Black Hand. However, he had found that she had son and was greatly at odds with Morzan. "Jorium, you should have recognized her when you contacted her child. The Black Hand was Selena Cadocsdaughter."

The shock that Jorium felt running through his was astounding. He tried to reconcile the image of the young girl that was his sister with the one of the powerful magic user running from her fate. Eridor could only watch the whirlwind in his riders mind and try to solve the confusion. "I never found out her name…she only said she was going to her brother…that she had to keep the child safe from Morzan…I let her go…" Jorium could only stutter out these phrases as his brain swirled.

"Jorium think for a second," Brom prompted him, "If she was going to her brother and Eragon lives with his uncle, a man named Garrow. Is Garrow the name of your brother?"

"Y-yes, Brom where is he? I have to find him, he survived! They both survived! Is Garrow still in Carvahall? Selena said she was going there. Brom –"

"Jorium calm down your going to wake the village if you continue yelling like that. Yes to all your questions. But you have to be careful. You can come to Carvahall but come straight to me and hide Eridor. You cannot let him be seen. If he stays in the Spine that should be safe as Eragon is the only one brave enough to venture there. And Jorium, I need to introduce you to my son and your nephew."

Jorium stared at the grinning old man before dashing off to pack Eridor's saddle bags.

**Here is the third chapter. My School is out so I'm free to write which happened to be today because mountain is closed. As ski racer we go to camps in the summer on Mt. Hood, OR. However i would like to inform the weather gods that its the middle of June and THERE IS A HUGE BLIZZARD happening right now. Its so not cool, in fact it very very COLD. **

**So enough of my complaining. on a different note, this story as 123 hits and not a single person has reviewed. i know i haven't been begging for them but even just one would have been nice.**

**thanks!**

**Graziella**


	5. Growing Populations

**Ok, so i feel really bad cause it has actually been about 5 months since ive updated. the sad part is that this chapter has been mostly written the entire time. im not the most prolific author, and i never know when i will be inspired to write. i am great at writing short blurbs and beginnings but not finishing them. So sorry. on a slightly different note, thankyou to every1beta for reviewing and giving me the ideas that pushed me towards my decision on Eridors color; now i can actually be descriptive about him.

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_Jorium, if I feel that anything bad is happening to you, I will rip the place to pieces to make sure that you are safe. I don't care how many two-leg-round-ears see me._ The great silver dragon had his rider pinned to the ground under a massive foreleg. Even the faint sunlight filtering in through the trees was enough to cause the slight purple shimmer on Eridor's silver scales.

_ I promise that nothing will happen, we can trust Brom and he says that he has been living peacefully here for over fifteen years. I promise to be safe, Wiol ono. _Jorium left Eridor on the edge of the forest just out of sight of Carvahall. He muttered a quick spell to disguise himself from the praying eyes of anybody who might be wondering about in the middle of the night. Reaching out with his mind, he found the only guarded mind in the small village. Entering it just enough to identify Brom, he followed the link to a small one story house set at the end of the grouping of houses. As he reached the door it burst open to reveal the old man holding a dagger in one hand and the sword Zar'roc in the other.

"Jorium, if you're going to enter my mind like that at least identify yourself. I thought I was about to be attacked by the king himself!"

"My apologies, I didn't think I had entered enough to be sensed, nor that my mind felt similar to Galbatorix." Jorium chuckled to himself as Brom lead him into the house grumbling and hid the sword under a tall stack of books.

"I was sleeping and all I felt was the vast consciousness of a rider. It has been many years since I felt you, I wasn't expecting how deep your mind had become."

"Well I have had naught to do but travel and work on growing my strength. However, this is not why I came. This is the first time I have been separated from Eridor since the last I saw you. It is also the first time I have spoken to a person face to face in that amount of time. I would like this to be quick. Also I must ask you to forgive me if I slip in this tough as I solely converse with Eridor in the ancient language."

"I assume you ask for news of the egg. I believe that it is still in Eragon's possession. I know he tried to sell it to first Sloan, the butcher, for meat, and a trader. Garrow, mentioned it to me that night as well as their belief that the 'stone' would be highly valuable if they could sell it to the right person. That was a week ago and I have heard nothing since."

"Have you tried to scry the egg since?"

"I have been unable to see anything involving the egg, I see only what is seen commonly when you have not seen the location before. Scrying Eragon shows nothing that I have never seen before. Often I see him walking through a blank background. He walks as is typical in the forest but carries no bow like when he hunts. I can make nothing of it." The confusion and frustration was evident on Brom's face. What he had told Jorium made no sense. Brom quietly turned and pulled a bedroll and blanket from a cluttered shelf. He then threw the second pillow from his bed and tossed it onto the pile. Jorium looked around the room to try and find a spot on the minimal floor space to lay down. "I assumed that you would stay the night here," Brom said as he laid down on his bed for the second time that night. "You can walk over to Garrow's farm and meet your brother and nephew for yourself." The old man yawned and turned over leaving Jorium to think for the night.

"Night Brom."

"Night. Oh, Eragon knows the story of the fall, I made sure he wasn't clueless to the evil of our king."

"How much does he know?"

"Just the basic story."

Jorium lay down and tried to order his thoughts. He reached for the familiar comfort of his dragon. Eridor was either too far off to sense or he had closed his mind to even Jorium.

* * *

"Jorium! Wake up, you have to hide," a gruff voice yelled in his ear. He wrenched himself upright and watched the old man quickly hiding certain books and artifacts. "Eragon has come to town with every intention of talking to me about dragon lore. I don't think you want to be seen even by him."

"Brom, I want to meet him, he is family."

"Not today, maybe once we secure the egg. Go find Eridor if you wish but I think you should stay and listen to what he has to say."

Jorium placed the bedroll back on the shelf and hurried out to the forest and his Dragon. _Eridor, can you find me?_ The dragon crawled through the trees with some difficulty due to his massive frame. As Jorium settled between the dip in Eridor's shoulders, he reached out towards Brom's house with his mind. Joriums filled the dragon in on what he learned the night before as he listened to Brom answer Eragon's insatiable questions. I quiet thought from Eridor caught him by surprise.

_The egg hatched. I found the hatchling hiding in a woven den in the forest._ Jorium froze as he considered the implications of what Eridor had just said. Logically it made sense, from what Eragon was saying to Brom. But, he had a hard time grasping that the ranks of free dragons had just swelled to include this little one along with Eridor and Gleadr. He sat there in stunned silence until Eragon's conversation with Brom slowly seeped back into his attention. The many questions asked confirmed what the great dragon had discovered. _The little one will tell the rider about us! The secret will be revealed!_

_ Relax SHE is little enough that anything more than basic images and emotions escape her. I impressed the necessity of our secrecy even from her two-leg-round-eared rider. _

_ Why do you think of humans as two-leg-round-ears, he has a name, as does everybody else. Eragon is my nephew._

_ Apologies O Rider, it is the habit of the dragons and you should have realized by now that I think of you as partner-of-soul-and-heart-Jorium. I know not what nephew means only that he is your relation by blood._

_ I'm very sorry Eridor, I didn't think. _The dragon was looking at him from one vivid purple eye in such as way that made Jorium want to sink into the soil beneath he feet.

* * *

Jorium burst through the back door of Brom's house barely a second after he closed the front one on Eragon. "The egg hatched! There is another dragon! A free dragon!" jorium was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Calm yourself before you announce it to the entire world." Brom was gruff in his reply, but a hint of a grin found its way though his beard. "I now find myself under the obligation to train a new rider."

"Can I meet him? Can I help you?"

"I think for now it is best if you not reveal yourself to him. The time will come when he has to face the world alone and he will need you at his side. You should watch him from afar and protect him as best you can for he will need it."

**so reviews are nice, they make authors feel wanted. so ya...**


	6. Delivering Messages

**Ok people so i know that i haven't worked in this in a year and i know how mad you all must be. i have come to realize that i have chronic writers block. I'm really good at coming up with topics, however I'm not so good at working on a developing the story back the very beginning. This such a problem that it is effecting me while i work on 500 word college essays. so enough of my complaining. read and enjoy.**

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_Hurry up!_ A deep voice boomed in his head with a slightly winy tone._ I wish to fly and you are incredibly slow._

_ My apologies, O' great dragon, for being a sluggish human. I am aware that you wish to depart however I need to check on Eragon and the hatchling. It's rather difficult to scry and fly simultaneously. _Having created a small pond in a bowl shaped tree stump, Jorium muttered the spell that allowed him to hear as well as see. It took Jorium only a few seconds to comprehend what was happening before he lost control of his knees in fits of laughter. The great silver dragon peered at him unblinkingly while Jorium struggled even mentally to coherently explain what was happening. _He…naming…trying to choose…idiot…long time…_ the dragon walked over to the stump and gazed into it before chortling himself.

_He certainly is in this matter. _Jorium released the spell and climbed onto Eridor's back. They continued to laugh together as they flew due east out of the mountains and over the great forest of Du Weldenvarden.

_I'm not sure of it is entirely safe to leave them unprotected if Eragon is having so much trouble with this. I don't think it should take him as long as it is to figure out the hatchling is female. He has listed almost every male dragons name in existence. _

_ He well realize sooner or later and find a suitable name for her. _

_ I still think it unwise to leave, why cannot Brom do this himself?_

_ Because it needs to be done in person and how long do you think it would take him to reach Ellesmira on foot? _

_ Hm. I accept your logic but we must be swift._ As Jorium said this he realized how unnecessary the words were. He could feel through the bond the strain in Eridor's wings and shoulders. As they were avoiding the empire it wasn't necessary for them to fly at high altitude but the speed at which they were moving still made it important for Jorium to wear many layers.

They reached to edge of the elves wards much sooner than Jorium expected. Eridor just teased him saying that he would have expected it if he spent less time meditating and more time flying. They did not stop except to refill the water skins and reached the outskirts of the city at nightfall on the second day.

_How do you think we will be received?_

_ My race is greatly revered by the elves and since my scales do not shine black, I would imagine with pleasure. _Eridor was correct and the elves poured from their tree homes and raced along the forest floor beneath them singing for joy. Eridor had a difficult time landing among such closely packed trees but managed to drop to the ground in front of Tialdarí Hall. A female elf stood tall in the crowd. She wore a brilliant red dress covered by a cloak made of while feathers and walked through the crowd with an effortless grace. Brom had warned him that he would have to greet Queen Islanzadí but that unless she forbid him to speak to Ebrithil, he should not reveal the existence of Eragon or the hatchling who hopefully possessed a name by now.

Eridor stood tall while Jorium formally greeted the queen in the elfin fashion and introduced himself. The Dragon projected his thoughts for all to hear as he announced his name. Though the queen wished for them to rest until morning, Jorium insisted that they speak with Ebrithil immediately.

Islanzadí was taken aback by the request. "How to you know of Ebrithil? It is one of our most closely guarded secrets."

"I don't know any thing about it, I was just sent with a message for Ebrithil from a trusted source. Brom sent me, here is his ring to prove that I am not lying." He displayed the ring for Islanzadí to see.

"I will trust that what ever it is that the message contains will reach my ears eventually." With that she had him swear and oath and lead him the top of a cliff.

The magnificent sunset was nothing in comparison the great golden dragon that hovered in front of it. Eridor bowed his head before taking off to join the Dragon in the sky. They flew together to the base of the cliffs where a silver haired elf awaited them.

"Welcome Jorium and Eridor, I am Oromis and this Glaedr."

And rumble akin to and earthquake entered their minds. _It is joyous news that another dragon and rider exist in this land. We have heard that you bear a message from Brom. _

"Aye, the message is of the hatching of the blue egg and of her rider. Brom wanted you to know of them."

"This is indeed a wondrous day." Joy emanated from elf and dragon both. Glaedr bent his head so as to touch his nose to Eridor's. They hummed in contentment and rejoiced even this small rebirth of their kind.

Jorium was sad that he had to end the happy moment with grimmer news. "I'm afraid not all is fortunate today, I also have some news of a darker nature. The egg-courier, Arya, has been captured by the shade Durza, and taken to Gil'ead." They watched as Oromis's face visibly fell and he sank into a nearby chair. Glaedr laid his massive head on the ground beside his rider.

"Why did you not tell this to Islanzadí immediately?"

"We were under orders to convey the message straight to you and then return. Brom feels that we should watch over the young ones while they cannot defend themselves."

Oromis nodded, "I quite agree, but we would like it if you could share the whole story before you depart." At his request Jorium once again created a small pool for his spell. He projected the memory onto the surface. Oromis and Glaedr watched the chase and capture of Arya with grim faces. Eridor supplied a series of images displaying how the hatchling has grown. When they were done Oromis sat back and was silent for a moment. "You have given us much to ponder young ones, I will not reveal Eragon's existence, however I must inform Islanzadí of Arya's predicament. Go now there is no need for you to stop in Ellesmira, I will bid your farewell for you."

"Thank you Ebrithil, we will return when it is possible, hopefully sooner than later."

"Before you go let me see your sword." Jorium presented it to him, "You do not bear a riders' sword."

"No I was unable to find one but I have spent much time reinforcing this one. Only a true riders blade could destroy it."

"I see you have made do, maybe upon your return you could see the few that the elves have saved or speak to Rhuniön."

Jorium and Eridor gave their thanks to the master and dragon before departing. _Well that went well_. Jorium breathed a sigh of relief that they were headed back. It was past nightfall and the moon light glimmered brightly off Eridor's scales._ I'm anxious to know what the blockhead named his hatchling_.

_I to would like to know little one, however I might just sleep for three days when we arrive. I am exhausted._

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**So i can actually promise a new chapter soon and keep the promise because i actually have one written! (thrust me thats really weird that i wrote two chapters in one day, that never happens.) so review if your not to mad. reviews make authors happy!**


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